Only Smarties have the answer...

 The girls were looking at equations with unknowns, e.g 2x+5=9

I used smarties to replace the x in the equations. 

So I'd put 2 smarties(on the paper) +5 =9.

And posed the question, what is each smartie worth? 

Answer 2

 Next the girls, gave each colour of smartie a value and then wrote an equation, replacing the smartie with a letter.
For example, if they'd used blue smarties, they then wrote an equation with b.

5B + 12 =62, 

So the blue smartie had been given a value of 10.

 With Reuben and Rosanna, I did smartie addition and subtraction.

 Repeating patterns.

 Shapes.

 

 Symmetrical patterns.

 My husband had never heard the phrase 'Only smarties have the answer'

Do you remember this ad from the 90's?